


Legolas's broody, fluffy, teddy bear

by Pennyforyourthought



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings (Movies), The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Fluff, Interspecies Relationship(s), Legolas thinks of dwarves as cute teddy bears, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Young Legolas Greenleaf, and he finally got his own
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-03
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2019-09-06 05:23:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16826008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pennyforyourthought/pseuds/Pennyforyourthought
Summary: “It looked really nice and fluffy.” He would say it dreamily, whenever someone, be his Daernaneth or, tutors, point out the pictures of dwarves. And he would giggle, “I bet it would look beautiful in red!”





	Legolas's broody, fluffy, teddy bear

Much to the Elvenking’s dismay, his leafling had always been fond of a naugrim.

It was something that the elfling took after his grandmother. Baingoleth, Thranduil’s mother, was a kind-heart person. Even after all misery she had been through, the former Queen of Greenwood still believed in all other races and treated them all with kindness and equality. Often enough, she would scold Thranduil for his cold and heartless behavior toward men or, dwarves. (Sometimes, even those of the Noldors.) There were times the king would listen, and grudgingly obey his mother’s word but that times were lesser over the centuries as he became more and more at ease in the role of King of the forest.

But even if she does not agree with the way her son rules over their kingdom, Baingoleth gave all her hope to her nephew instead. Oh, yes, the leafling, Legolas, Greenleaf, they called him, the name of a Silvan kind, was the light among these folly darkness lurking around the woods. It was, even hundreds of years pass, still such a fascination to see him bring joy and laughter, wherever he went.

And Baingoleth, she was fascinated with this little darling. Always, he would run around, asking an odd question, exploring everything curiously, and making friends with anything that pass his eyes.

Everyone loved him, especially, his Daernaneth. Baingoleth loved Legolas dearly and never, once, even be able to resist his desire of anything. She taught him of everything she knows, always telling him stories of old ages and legends. Legolas, in return, loved to sit on her lap after dinners, contently listen to anything she says, especially, despite his father’s disapproval, tales of dwarves and their amazing invention.

—

One time, when Mitrandir came to pass the Greenwood, he was brought to the Prince’s playroom and they talked for hours. Apparently, they found out later, the little Prince want to know about the dwarves, and, to Thranduil’s horror, might it be possible for the wizard to tell them that they were invited to the Prince of Greenwood’s begetting day celebration.

Unfortunately, for the little guy, Mitrandir shook his head, and said, “Oh, no, my dear Legolas, I am afraid they cannot come to the celebration. The dwarves are living too far away, and they have so many errands to do.”

Legolas’ eager smile faltered, and he pouted. “But— but Ada said I can invite anyone I want!”

Mitrandir had to hold back his laughter, the King had, again, lost to his son’s cleverness, and it was now up to him if the dwarves would be joining their party, or not. Thranduil owed him a big favor.

“Well, yes, of course, you can, my prince.” Mitrandir smiled fondly at the elfling. “Your begetting day is very important. I am sure they would be joyed to know that the Prince is kindly inviting them, but they would have to travel a long way to the wood. It would take months and the dwarves have families they have to take care of. Who would be feeding the little dwarfling while they were gone then? You know, children were not fit to travel so far, they would fall ill and starve.”

Legolas frowned. “But Ada goes to men’s town all the time, and Nana takes care of me.”

Mitrandir chuckled. “Well, yes, but your Ada went there to make an errand, wasn’t he? He went to men’s town to work, to make sure his people, his family, will have enough nice foods, and warm places to sleep. Dwarves, too, have to work very hard for that. They are not very wealthy, and men, sometimes, are not nice to them, so the dwarves have to work so much for their family, and so they don’t have much time. If they don’t go to work, they might lose their jobs and have no food to eat. You wouldn’t want that for them, would you?”

“No!” Legolas, wide eyes, shook his head gravely. “But I want to talk to them, Mitrandir. I know men are not nice sometimes, and my Ada, too. But I want them to know that I don’t hate them, and I want to be their friends!”

Mitrandir smiled warmly, and, despite the impossibility, he desperately wanted the Dwarven kind to be right there, in the room, listening to this elfling right now.

 _He’s such an amazing little thing, indeed,_ he thought as the little guy went through his treasure chest, and brought out a beautiful mail tunic. Mitrandir looked at it astonishingly as the mail sparkling in the light, shining a gentle white color on the carving stone walls. the Mithril.

It was made, by the hand of the dwarves, ordering by the Elvenking, to be gifted the Prince’s own protection that only a mithril, the purest of silver, could do for the light of Greenwood. It was something of a legend, really, of how much it was worth, and how magnificent it was. It kind of funny, to see such a tale among people of middle earth, snuck in a chest full of toys and books.

And then, Legolas gave it to the wizard, who stunningly took it.

“What are you giving this treasure to me for, dear Legolas?”

“I want to give it to the dwarves,” Legolas said determinedly. “Can you give it to them for me, please? It really nice, and warm. And Ada said it will protect me, so if the bad men hurt’em, it will protect them, too. And Nana said it worth, uh, ... many, many golds? They can sell it for foods and nice beds!”

And, with nothing to answer to the little prince, Mitrandir stared at young Legolas with something warm sparkling inside his heart. He smiled,

“Indeed, my prince. I will make sure it delivered to them properly.”

_What a Prince he would become, someday,_

—

The conversation between the wizard and young Prince of Greenwood remained secret, despite Thranduil’s brooding. The only thing the wizard told him was, “You have a miracle raise in your hands, King Thranduil. Never lose it.”

And on Legolas’ begetting day, even with none of the dwarves coming to his celebration, (much to the King’s relieve), Mitrandir gave him small, beautiful beads, and two of golden butterfly hairclips, designed to fit nicely on the leafling’s silky hair. The dwarves of the Blue Mountain, though broodingly, and angrily accepted the Mithril, they were truly grateful, and some even made the little beads and hairclip for a trade.

Legolas kept all of it safely in his treasure chest.

—

But what Legolas loves dwarves the most though, was their hair.

“It looked really nice and fluffy.” He would say it dreamily, whenever someone, be his Daernaneth or, tutors, point out the pictures of dwarves. And he would giggle, “I bet it would look beautiful in red!”

(Years later, when Legolas brought a red hair dwarf lord back with him, nobody was truly surprised anymore.)

Legolas thought dwarves hair must be soft and light. He even wished to have the hair just like that. When he was two hundred years old, Nana made him a crochet beard. He wore the thing for months until Thranduil asked him to stop.

No one really knew why though, that their Prince would love such an ugly mess of a hair. Didn’t their own hair look more nice, with long easily combed, and silky one?

In truth, Legolas just really, really, really like dwarf fluffy hair because it made them look like a soft adorable teddy bear.

Alright. A very angry, broody, fluffy, teddy bear.

But still.

He especially likes it when they were in a group. Like, the time when Thorin Oakenshield and his company passing through the woods. Much to the captain’s order to arrest those of thirteen dwarves before their King, Legolas secretly (and happily) squeal in delight to see so many of them staring up at him, like a bunch of teddy bears.

Truthfully, the reason that the company was treated so well was probably that the glare that the elven prince somehow stared at those guards. For no one could hurt a bunch of fluffy teddy bears, and if they did, there would definitely be consequences.

(Not to mention, how he tried to hint them about those of empty barrels and a river routed down to the lake town. Somehow, the periannath picked up on that and succeeded in their escape)

—

Meeting Gimli, son of Gloin, son of Groin, was unexpected.

Legolas was on a quest, a supposed-to-be small quest, like delivering a message to Lord Elrond about the escape of a dark creature, then, coming home safe and soundly to his family’s embraces.

Turned out, it was not so small of a quest though, as he was chosen to be one of the nine walkers, to escort Frodo Baggins and the One rings to Orodruin.

And, because of that very reason, Legolas somehow, found himself delighted over the fact that he was, to travel alongside with so many interesting creatures.

You see, Legolas, by his own nature, was always curious about the world around him. Greenwood, though very much fascinating, and greatly beautiful in his eyes, there were still much of the outside world that he never saw before. The quest was, for an elf, an opportunity to see more of the world, and to learn about (and, if possible, befriended) all men, halfling, and most desirably, dwarf.

And there were two men in their fellowship! Legolas often happily thought about this as they walk further, and further away from Imladris. Not that he had never seen men before. There were men in lake town, and so many times, King Bard, the dragon slayer, would come for a feast or, negotiation, and Legolas would (to his father’s horror) drag the human to the archery range, and start long hours of competition. But as they were going on the quest, Legolas couldn’t help but be excited, for this is not just men from Lake-town, but ‘tis Aragorn, son of Arathorn, the ranger who had traveled so far around middle earth. Legolas felt the urge to ask him of everything, and anything the ranger knew, and amusingly, Aragorn would always answer him with a fond smile. And there was Boromir, son of Denethor, men of Gondor, the white city where his Daernaneth often spoke about. With the white beautiful tree, and how magnificent of a white stones city. The human was pleased to know that Legolas, the elfling of their group, (well, yes, a five-hundred-year-old is not so old, but still), wanted to know of his home. They easily bond over that.

Periannaths, though, was something entirely different.

There was only once Legolas ever had a chance to see such a sweet little creature! And that time was not a good time to pay attention to such a thing. (He was busy helping Nana in her garden. Nana was not so subtle about distracting him from the ongoing situation, but he didn’t want to worry her too much, so...) Bilbo Baggins was, after all, hiding invisibly the entire time they were in the dungeons. So, truthfully, this was probably the first time he properly met a ‘hobbits’, as they like to call themselves.

And what a wonderful bunch of people they were. There were four little hobbits in their journey! Each one proved a very merry company. Frodo Baggins, somehow, was different from the others, (“Well, he’s a respectable hobbit. He needs to act nicely, you see.” Merry said.) but he was such a sweet thing. Legolas couldn’t help but felt a fond affection toward the little one. Samwise was a very good cook. He could even make Legolas eat more than one piece of meat, and he made a very nice stew. And a fussing mother hen for Frodo. Yes, it was very amusing to see that. And the other two little troublemakers, Merry and Pippin, was much enjoyable company. Legolas and the two were, most definitely, got along quite well with their mischievous and curiosity. (Though, Legolas was more preserve about it.) This quite stirred Aragorn alarmingly. But Gandalf, though sometimes scolding them over some foolish making, still laughed merrily,

“Well, what do you expect from getting three children together, then, my good man?” He said.

That caught all the others attention immediately, including the dwarf.

“Three children?” Boromir asked, frowning in perplex. “Legolas is a child?”

“No!” The elfling protested while Aragorn, chuckling, answered, “Yes.”

Legolas glared at Aragorn furiously. “I am four-hundred years older than you.”

Aragorn shrugged, smiled playfully at the elfling. “That is true enough, princeling. But, again, I am no elf. Men count their ages of maturity at eighteen years old, which, to my knowledge, was about sixty-nine years ago. While for an elfling like you, five-hundred was only about sixteen years old, which in any races, still count as only a child.”

Legolas suddenly wished to punch the ranger in the face.

But even though the remarked of his ages suddenly made Boromir treat him more like a small little brother, and Merry and Pippin feel more at ease with his present, it also brought dwarf to become softer with him.

A dwarf! Indeed, Legolas was, much to Mitrandir amused, always trying to be around him. (very subtly, of course.) He watched as the red-headed grumbling, eating or, as he was sleeping. Mostly sleeping, the elfling would silently sit beside Gimli’s bedroll and kept staring at him fondly. He would pull a Thranduil’s cold face princeling act when the dwarf up and about but secretly doted on him whenever Gimli didn’t pay attention. He didn’t even let Aragorn wake the dwarf up when he snored too loud that nobody could sleep, claiming that Gimli didn’t have much sleep.

(We all don’t get much sleep, Legolas.” Aragorn sighed.

“But,” Legolas pouted, “But— but, Gimli...“)

In truth, Gimli knew.

Of course, he knew. He’s not stupid, and the Prince was not good at subtlety. He was terrible at subtlety.

At first, Gimli wasn’t like it at all. There was no way an elf, a wood-elf at that, would be nice to him. He thought it was a trick to make him a fool or something. But what trick would One be nice to their enemy whenever they didn’t notice?

“He’s harmless, Gimli,” Gandalf said, one way, as they were smoking pipe on the hill and watching hobbits and elf laughed about something.

“Still an elf though.” He grumbled. “Never trust elves!”

Gandalf’s booming laughter was loud enough to catch the elf’s attention. The wizard patted Gimli’s shoulder lightly, “Well, you’ll see, my dear dwarf, that this elf is different. He’s a peculiar among his own kin.”

And Gimli learned it the hard way.

—

Years later, when they decided to wed, Thranduil blessed them joy and happiness, to everyone’s surprised. Not that it was something unexpected though. Thranduil was, long ago, resigned himself to the fact that Legolas wouldn’t just have a normal elleth or, ellon for a lover. So long as it’s not an orc or, dear Valars, Gollum or, one of that death army, and they could make his son happy, he didn’t see any reason to object it. Somehow, despite his prejudice toward Dwarven kind, it was relieving to know that his expectation wasn’t too wrong. At least, his son’s obsession over Dwarves was predictable, with all red-hairy ‘fluffy’ thing all over. And Gimli’s diplomat and silver tongue helped a lot.

—

“Why did you choose me?”

One day, when they were sitting in peaceful silent, under an oak tree in Ithilien, Gimli asked the question that was always on his mind. Legolas raised his brows,

“What?”

“Why did you choose me? As your husband, I mean.” Gimli grumbled, put the pipe down gently. “I know you always like dwarves. But surely, you must have met so many dwarves or, men, or elves or, hobbits even. Why me? Why a normal dwarf like me? Why do you love me so?”

And, Legolas, the most gorgeous thing of all Arda, smiled back at him, and said, “Why not you, then?”

It was Gimli’s turn to raise his eyebrows.

Legolas laughed, “I like a dwarf because they are an amazing creature. One born with an honorable task, to build and invent such a wonderful creation. One with a loyalty none could ever compare. One with such a pride so high but also, very generous. One who suffered so many bad things but never gave up. I like them because they are so strong in a way that I could never understand.

“But I love you, Gimli, not just because you are all of that, but more.” Long fingers caressed over the hairy cheek, and Gimli, contented with a familiar gesture, let the elf did just that with a sign of contentment.

Laughing, Legolas lovingly planted some gentle kisses on Gimli again, and again, each one with words whispering into his lover's ear.

One kiss. “I love you because you are a dwarf, my dwarf, who would always come whenever I call.

Second kiss. “Because you are a loyal dwarf, who stand beside me, every moment of darkest time.

Third kiss. “Because you are the one that makes everything seem bright and hopeful when even I couldn’t see the light. You are something that I couldn’t live without. Not anymore.

Then the elf wrapped himself around Gimli, like beautiful vines, and let the dwarf leaned against his chest, listening to the sound of gentle heart beating inside.

Legolas giggled as he thought back to the day he was younger still,

“You know, when I was younger, I thought of dwarves like a teddy bears. An angry, but fluffy and warm teddy bears and I always want one of my own.” he tightens the hold on his husband, hearing Gimli snorted softly, Legolas happily hugged him,

“And now, I’ve got my dwarf! You are my broody, fluffy, teddy bear, and I’m going to love you for eternity.”

Gimli snorted again.

_What a peculiar prince he is._


End file.
